Marvel Studios, and the problem of killing people

Can important characters ever die in big name comic book franchises? If you scroll past the spoiler squirrel, then youre on your own. Movies dont have that luxury. Were at the point though where this has consequences. Early on in the film, we learn that Tony Stark is dying. The things keeping him alive wont be keeping him alive for long. Not a single one. The reveal that he was alive held no surprise....

August 4, 2014 · 2 min · 346 words · Jason Mcfarland

Predicting Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (with LEGO)

Matt tries to work out the plot of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, with some new LEGO sets… Spoiler alert: this article may feature spoilers. If you dont want to read spoilers youll have to guess how good we are at guessing. The newTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtlesfilm comes out either very soon or quite soon depending on where you live. In the US, it lands on 8th August, which is very soon....

August 4, 2014 · 5 min · 946 words · Dr. Mary Miller

Child of God Review

James Franco’s new directorial effort, Child of God, tackles Cormac McCarthy and necrophilia. Yet, it is as lifeless as the love interests. Rating: 2 out of 5

August 1, 2014 · 1 min · 27 words · Michael Walton

How the movies are making space fun again

Dr. Ryan Stone,Gravity. A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, people didnt hate space. As a matter of fact they really liked space. Space was supremely stelliferous and resplendent with diverse worlds, exotic alien species and assorted cultures. Space was wide, wide open for an amazing array of exhilarating, unearthly adventures. Laugh it up, fuzzball its so much fun. Up there and out there was mystery and obscurity....

August 1, 2014 · 1 min · 203 words · Sarah Hall

Sailor Moon: Shingo’s Love – The Grieving Doll review

Zoisite steps up in the villain department in this episode of Sailor Moon! Oh, fucking wonderful! An episode about creepy antique dolls! Oh boy, did they. Its interesting the patterns, and thus the themes, that arise in the villains plots. Jadeites plans had to do with largely shallow things, most of them commercial in some way. He was going for quantity, not quality. By contrast, all of Nephrites victims have been people with passion....

August 1, 2014 · 2 min · 360 words · Paula Stanley

Where the Hell is The Plastic Man Movie?

With every superhero getting the live-action cinematic treatment, Plastic Man remains two-dimensional. But its not for lack of trying. What he came up with was Patrick Eel OBrian, an orphan-turned-street hood-turned-safecracker. What set Plastic Man apart wasnt his unique superabilities, but his zany sense of humor. It wasnt just corny one-liners. Nobody, not even Eisner, had done or seen anything quite like it before. Thomas Pynchon even gave Plas a cameo inGravitys Rainbow....

August 1, 2014 · 3 min · 463 words · Paige Manning

Doctor Who: what series 8 can learn from The Ark In Space

Let us speculate, just for a change, about what series eight ofDoctor Whoholds in store. Is Peter Capaldis Twelth Doctor going to be a less risky version of the Sixth? Initially unlikeable, but with the audience warming to him as he progresses? Ad content continues below Maybe, maybe, and yes. A storyline calledSpace Stationis commissioned by Robert Holmes,Doctor Whos new script editor. After the Barry Letts and Terrance Dicks swansongRobot,Space Stationwas to be the first production under Philip Hinchcliffe....

July 31, 2014 · 2 min · 311 words · Brett Davis

What we learned about sex in the 1990s from Sliver

An adaptation that is just landing at its 25th birthday, staggergingly. In truth,Slivershould have opened with the song fromMuppets Most Wanted. Were doing a sequel, they joyously sing. Its more of the same!. It did not work. But theres more to it. Furthermore, her lack of funds means that she has only so much to spend on clothes. And once shes slipped it on? Well, its time to look in the mirror at it....

July 31, 2014 · 2 min · 273 words · Veronica Benitez

Films that’d get a fairer hearing if they weren’t sequels

Some sequels are doomed to live in the shadow of the hits that triggered them. Here are a few examples… This articles dedicated to a few of these kinds of films. At the very least, they attempted to do something a little different than the films they followed. While other examples undeniably remain, here are a few of our favourites… And yet there are still stand-out moments inAirplane IIthat have been overlooked as time has gone on....

July 30, 2014 · 2 min · 421 words · Mike Lucero

How Television Won SDCC 2014

In fact, it wasnt just bigtelevision won San Diego Comic-Con in 2014. And yet, this year was markedly different. Ad content continues below This is felt nowhere more clearly than in the superhero genre. They were expectedly out in force in all the most expected ways. But beyond the media presence, these shows offered a literalpartyfor fans to get their geeky jam on to. There was nothing but things to celebrate for DC fans that night....

July 30, 2014 · 2 min · 227 words · Dennis Obrien

8 Kids’ cartoons made from inappropriately adult movies

Whoever thought Robocop, Highlander and Rambo would make suitable kids' cartoons? These folks, that’s who… There are certain eternal questions in life that I doubt well ever find an answer to. Who was Jack The Ripper? What happened on the Mary Celeste? How have there been fiveResident Evilmovies? In some ways it makes sense. Everyone knows this, the studios especially. But surely they cant be that blatant about it? You cant make a show for kids based onRoboCop!...

July 29, 2014 · 3 min · 435 words · Kenneth Whitaker

Zoe Saldana interview: GotG, Who, strong female characters

Ad content continues below Lets start withGuardians Of The Galaxy.That makes sense!. Theres a streak of comedy through it, a camaraderie that comes through. But also, it looks really hard work! Can you talk us through the project, and how you locked into it? My interest came from having a conversation with James Gunn. I like directors who are very determined and give their word. I had a feeling that he was going to honour it....

July 29, 2014 · 5 min · 1030 words · Juan James

A Song Of Ice And Fire’s geeky in-jokes

From Monty Python to Harry Potter and the Dallas Cowboys, George R.R. How about the lost bet that led George R.R. Martin to include a coded reference to an American Football victory inA Dance With Dragons? Martin does, having named ithereas one of his top five favourite fantasy films. The end result: Howl(and)s Moving Castle. Unless youre a comics fan, that is, and so recognise George R.R. Martins deliberate nods to the DC universe, (particularly to the Justice League)....

July 28, 2014 · 2 min · 270 words · Linda Caldwell